Re: [DL] Gone Native for blacks

[Marguerite Frey <natasha_corey@yahoo.com>]

--- Nick Zachariasen <zacharin@pluto.dsu.edu> wrote:
> Well, my reasoning for saying a black character
> wouldn't gain as much from
> Gone Native is that part of the intent of the Edge
> is for the character to
> be able to interact with white society, and blacks
> just can't do that the
> way whites can because it is, after all, WHITE
> society.  Therefore, they're
> going to be able to function in both worlds, they're
> just not going to be
> able to function QUITE as well as a white character
> who'd Gone Native would.

Good point, but then again isn't that a given?  I
don't understand why that entitles the character to a
price break on the Edge.  So far the only Edge cost
reductions I've heard about (keep in mind, I'm a
player) is the Born on Horseback equivalant in the
Back East: The South book where it's cheaper for
Southerners because of the prevelance of training.  

A price break in something systemic, to me, indicates
that the background the character grew up in valued
and offered access to the particular ability; cultural
equivelant of "the thing to do."  Making it cheaper
because your character can't reap the full benefits of
the advantage is just the way it goes, and should make
the player doublecheck that (a) the concept does in
fact require he particular skill/advantage, and (b)
the player is willing to live with the consequences if
they still go through with it.  

An Italian cop in the 1940's shouldn't get to buy the
cop skill package for cheaper because the "wops" were
discriminated against; whether or not an Irish cop
should get a price break could be debated.  In either
case, 1876+ American doesn't strike me as being full
of equal opportunity or affirmative action for
anyone...

Marguerite of EMGB, otherwise known as Captain Sydeney Mallory

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